Several provinces issued their own stamps prior to Confederation in 1867, among them British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Newfoundland issued its own stamps until 1949 when it joined Canada.
This cover was mailed from Burgeo, Newfoundland, to Nelson, British Columbia, in 1943. It carries three 1ยข stamps showing codfish, called the "currency of Newfoundland". One of the main industries in Newfoundland was the cod fishery.
An interesting feature of this cover is that it was opened by a Post Office inspector. The contents were examined because the letter was mailed between two countries during the Second World War. The Post Office inspector resealed the envelope with a label that reads, on the back, "Opened by Examiner". Features like this attract cover collectors.